BMC slaps Rs23 lakh fine on Abu Azmi's company

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has imposed a fine of Rs23lakh on Samajwadi Party legislator Abu Azmi’s firm for failing to provide vehicles for garbage collection in K (West) ward.

A consortium of three companies, including MK Enterprises and Azmi’s Gulf Hotel, had been awarded a Rs168 crore contract for garbage collection for a period of four years from July 2013 to 2017.

Civic officials said the contractor was supposed to pick up and transport the garbage to the dumping ground.

“Earlier, we had sent a show-cause notice to the contractor for not having necessary infrastructure. They were supposed to provide Euro-IV standard vehicles for picking up garbage and transporting it to the dumping ground. However, they failed to do so,” said a senior civic official, adding that it led to piling up of garbage in Lokhandwala Complex, Versova and other areas.

Vishwas Shankarwar, assistant municipal commissioner of K (West) ward, said, “Since the contractor is not able to provide the vehicles as per the agreement, we have imposed a penalty of Rs23 lakh on the contractor. The amount will be deducted from the contract payment.”

Moin Khan, proprietor of MK Enterprises, said, “We were asked to start the service in a day with dumpers. So, it was not possible for us to mobilise the vehicles required for the work within a short period. Subsequently, we asked the higher authorities for an extension for using Euro-IV vehicles.”

Khan added that the vehicles were now being provided as per the contract. “Our services are better than others,” claimed Khan. However, Abu Azmi was not available for his comments.